Month: January 2018

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Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. We are heading into the All Star Break this weekend, and teams are scrambling for all the points they can get. There were some injuries and a suspension this week to some very key players for their respective teams. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The NCAA hockey minute and our picks of the week.

The Edmonton Oilers tapped a resource from their storied past when they added Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey as skills development coach Sunday. Coffey, 56, was on the ice for practice at Rogers Place and will be asked to mentor defensemen in particular, including prospects in the Oilers system. Coffey is the second-highest scoring defenseman in NHL history with 1,531 points (396 goals, 1,135 assists) in 1,409 regular-season games, behind Ray Bourque (1,579 points). He won the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in the League three times, was an NHL First-Team All-Star four times and was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players presented by Molson Canadian during the League’s centennial season.

Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quickwill not attend 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend because of a nagging injury, Kings general manager Rob Blake said Wednesday. “It’s day to day,” Blake said. “With his history of injuries, we’re not risking that in this 3-on-3 format. He is not 100 percent healthy and he needs time to heal.” If he does not play in the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Sunday after being selected to the Pacific Division team, he must sit out one regular-season game. That could either be against the Flames or the first game after the All-Star break, at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. If Quick is the Kings backup to Darcy Kuemper against the Flames, he would have to sit out against the Stars. He is 20-17-2 with a 2.44 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in 39 games this season. Quick, 32, played 17 games last season, when he injured his groin in the first game at the San Jose Sharks. All Star Notes: Calgary Flames goaltender Mike Smith has been added to the roster for the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game in Tampa, the National Hockey League announced today. Smith replaces Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick on the Pacific Division roster.

San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thorntonis expected to miss several weeks because of an injury to the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Thornton was injured when teammate Mikkel Boedker fell on him with less than one minute remaining in the third period of a 5-4 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Thornton will have an MRI on Wednesday, Wilson said. The Sharks recalled forward Marcus Sorensen from San Jose of the American Hockey League and placed Thornton on injured reserve. Thornton, 38, has 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 47 games this season. He had surgery on the MCL and anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the offseason. That injury was sustained April 2, 2017 and caused Thornton to miss the first two games of the Western Conference First Round against the Edmonton Oilers. Thornton returned to the lineup for Games 3 through 6, and the Sharks lost in six games. Thornton, in his 20th NHL season, is 16th in scoring with 1,427 points in 1,493 games with the Sharks and Boston Bruins. He’s 12th with 1,030 assists, three behind Mario Lemieux for 11th.

Boston Bruins rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy is expected to be out at least two weeks after having a procedure to correct an abnormal heart rhythm on Monday. He was out of the hospital and resting comfortably Tuesday after having a procedure Monday to treat an abnormal heart rhythm. “Everything went well,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “My concern and our concern as an organization is obviously his health going forward, whatever time he needs to recover. His health is our No. 1 priority. He’s doing terrific, and we’ll see how he recovers from there.” Cassidy said McAvoy would be out through the All-Star break this weekend and would be evaluated next week, although the anticipated recovery time of two weeks would have him out until Feb. 6, when the Bruins visit the Detroit Red Wings. McAvoy, 20, experienced heart palpitations during the Bruins game Nov. 26. After being evaluated by doctors, he was diagnosed with a supraventricular tachycardia, which, in his case, was not considered to be dangerous to his health but could recur at any time and causes significant symptoms, according to a statement by Bruins internist Dr. David Finn. To correct the issue, McAvoy opted for an ablation because of the high likelihood of recurrence. McAvoy, playing on a pair with captain Zdeno Chara, has 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) and is plus-18. McAvoy is averaging 22:49 of ice time and played 23:56 in a 4-1 win at the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. With defensemen Adam McQuaid and Kevan Miller recently back from injury and illness, respectively, the Bruins can revert to the pairs they have used in the past, with Brandon Carlo playing with Chara, Torey Krug with McQuaid, and Grzelcyk with Miller.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ondrej Palatwill be out 6-8 weeks because of a lower-body injury. Palat was injured during the third period of a 5-2 loss against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. n 46 games, Palat has 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists) and a plus-17 rating. He has 248 points (82 goals, 166 assists) in six NHL seasons, all with the Lightning.

New Jersey Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid(groin) and forward Brian Gibbons (broken thumb) were placed on injured reserve Sunday. Kinkaid was injured in a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday at 12:15 of the first period after trying to make a save on Ivan Provorov‘s goal. He made four saves on seven shots before leaving and was replaced by Ken Appleby. Gibbons, who has not missed a game this season, was injured when he blocked a shot during the second period Saturday; he will be re-evaluated on Monday. Gibbons has 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) and is tied for second on the Devils in goals.

Florida Panthers goalie James Reimerwill be out at least two weeks with a groin injury, coach Bob Boughner said Thursday. Reimer was injured extending his right leg while attempting to make a save at 3:48 of the first period against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. Harri Sateri finished the game for the Panthers, who lost 6-1 at American Airlines Arena. Reimer started 17 consecutive games and 18 of 19 after Roberto Luongo sustained a lower-body injury Dec. 4, going 9-6-2 with a 2.58 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. But he allowed at least three goals in four of his past five starts before Tuesday. Sateri is expected to make his second NHL start against the Washington Capitals at BB&T Center on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; FS-F, NBCSWA, NHL.TV). The Panthers recalled goaltender Samuel Montembeault from Springfield of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchandhas been suspended for five games, without pay, for elbowing New Jersey Devils forward Marcus Johansson during NHL Game No. 732 in Boston on Tuesday, Jan. 23, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday. The incident occurred at 18:01 of the third period. Marchand is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, will forfeit $373,475.60. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkinhas been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement via Section 18.7(c), for spearing Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brownduring NHL Game No. 704 in Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 18, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Friday. The incident occurred at 6:57 of the first period.

Other Interesting Stories:

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Pointhas been added to the roster for the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game in Tampa, the National Hockey League announced today. Point replaces injured teammate Victor Hedman on the Atlantic Division roster.

A group led by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk reached an agreement in principle with the National Capital Commission on Thursday to redevelop LeBreton Flats, a 53-acre parcel of land the Senators could use to build a new downtown arena. The Rendezvous Lebreton Group’s proposal, according to the NCC, includes an 18,000-seat arena with views toward Parliament and the Ottawa River, as well as Sensplex, a community complex that would have two NHL-size hockey rinks. “My goal has always been to provide the Senators with home-ice advantage,” Melnyk tweeted Thursday. “Though there are still many hurdles to overcome, I’m thrilled to be one step closer to a more enjoyable fan experience and realizing a vision for LeBreton Flats.”

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock, former NHL player Ryan Smyth, and women’s Olympic champion Danielle Goyette will be honored with the 2018 Order of Hockey in Canada. They will receive the honor at the Hockey Canada Foundation Gala and Golf in London, Ontario on June 18. Babcock, 54, has an NHL record of 622-372-150 with 19 ties in 15 seasons as coach of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Detroit Red Wings and Maple Leafs. He coached the Red Wings to the 2008 Stanley Cup and they reached the Final in 2009. He’s the only coach in the IIHF Triple Gold Club, having led Canada to Olympic gold medals in Vancouver in 2010 and in Sochi in 2014, and the World Championship in 2004. He coached Canada to the championship at the World Cup of Hockey 2016. Smyth, 41, played 19 NHL seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings. He retired after the 2013-14 season with 842 points (386 goals, 456 assists) in 1,270 games. He helped Canada win gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and played in the 2006 Torino Olympics, and in the World Championship eight times, winning gold in 2003 and 2004, and silver in 2005. Smyth also won gold at the World Cup of Hockey in 2004. Goyette, 51, played for Canada at the Olympics three times, winning gold in 2002 and 2006, and won the gold medal eight times at the Women’s World Championship; she had 219 points in 172 games with Canada’s national women’s team during a 15-season playing career. Currently the coach for the University of Calgary women’s hockey team, she was enshrined in the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017. The Order of Hockey in Canada was established in 2012 by Hockey Canada and has recognized 21 honorees including Jean Beliveau, Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Mark Messier, Mario Lemieux, Pat Quinn and Scotty Bowman.

Marc Savard hopes to get into coaching after announcing his retirement Monday. Savard, 40, had 706 points (207 goals, 499 assists) in 807 NHL games as a center with the New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, Atlanta Thrashers and Boston Bruins. He played his final game with the Bruins on Jan. 22, 2011, because of concussion-related symptoms, and his last contract expired after the 2016-17 season. “This is not an easy thing for me to put down into words, but I feel as though I’m ready now for the next chapter in my life to begin,” Savard wrote in a message on his Twitter account. “Also, last but not least, my health is the best it’s been in a very long time, and I’m grateful for that.” “I think the biggest thing is that I’m happy where I am in my life,” Savard told NHLPA.com. “I’m the healthiest I’ve been in a long time. I didn’t want it to linger on any more. My contract is up and I wanted to get it out there and head off in a different direction to pursue a coaching career.” The Rangers selected Savard in the fourth round (No. 91) of the 1995 NHL Draft. He debuted with the Rangers on Oct. 3, 1997, playing with his idol, Wayne Gretzky. His best season came with the Thrashers in 2005-06, when he set NHL career highs for goals (28) and points (97). From that season through 2008-09, he ranked 11th in the NHL in points per game (1.12). His name is on the Stanley Cup with the 2010-11 Bruins.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 21. MacKinnon registered 4-2-6, including a pair of game-winning goals, in three contests to power the Avalanche (26-16-3, 55 points) to a perfect week and their ninth straight victory, the longest such streak in the NHL this season. Hellebuyck stopped 59 of 60 shots against, compiling a 2-0-0 record with a 0.48 goals-against average, .983 save percentage and one shutout to lift the Jets (28-13-7, 63 points) back atop the Central Division standings. Marchand led the NHL with 2-5-7 in four games to guide the Bruins (27-10-8, 62 points) to a 3-0-1 week, helping the team extend its point streak to 16 contests dating to Dec. 16 (12-0-4).

Jim Johannson, assistant executive director of hockey operations with USA Hockey and the general manager of the 2018 United States Olympic men’s team, died Sunday. He was 53. Johannson, a two-time Olympian during his playing career (1988, 1992), was a stalwart with USA Hockey since joining the organization in 2000 as manager of international activities and U.S. Olympic Committee relations. As a USA Hockey executive, Johannson was part of the management team for every Olympics since 2002, when the U.S. won a silver medal in Salt Lake City. He also was part of the 2010 team in Vancouver that won silver. Among the most significant accomplishments during Johannson’s tenure at USA Hockey were winning 64 medals (34 gold, 19 silver, 11 bronze) in major international competition, as well as helping launch and implement the highly acclaimed American Development Model and securing USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, as a home for all U.S. teams. Johannson, from Rochester, Minnesota, was a seventh-round pick (No. 130) of the Hartford Whalers in the 1982 NHL Draft. A center, he played in the International Hockey League with Salt Lake City, Indianapolis and Milwaukee from 1987-94 after spending four seasons at the University of Wisconsin, where he won a national championship in 1983.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

Share this:

Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. Bye weeks are over, so the schedule is getting busy again on the ice. There were some injuries this week to some very key players for their respective teams. And, an iron man streak came to an end in a controversial manner. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The NCAA hockey minute and our picks of the week.

Defenseman Deryk Engellandsigned a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday. Engelland could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He was selected from the Calgary Flames at the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft on June 21 and has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 41 games. Engelland, 35, has 99 points (25 goals, 74 assists) in 510 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Flames and Golden Knights. He is the third Golden Knights player who could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1 to sign a contract with Vegas. Defenseman Brayden McNabb signed a four-year, $10 million contract Nov. 30, and forward Jonathan Marchessault signed a six-year, $30 million contract Jan. 3. Forwards David Perron and James Neal each can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. The Golden Knights (29-10-3) lead the Western Conference with 61 points and are four behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the best record in the League.

Goaltender Matt Murraywill be away from the Pittsburgh Penguins indefinitely following the death of his father, James Murray, on Tuesday. Murray, 23, returned home to Ontario. He missed the Penguins’ past two games but was at practice Tuesday. Murray is 15-12-1 with a 2.93 goals-against average and .903 save percentage in 31 games this season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets claimed forward Jussi Jokinenoff waivers Wednesday after putting forward Sonny Milano on injured reserve with a torn oblique muscle sustained against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 8. Milano, the No. 16 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, will be out 4-6 weeks. He has 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 35 games this season. Jokinen was waived by the Los Angeles Kings. He has six points (one goal, five assists) in 32 games with the Kings and Edmonton Oilers.

Sebastian Ahois out indefinitely for the Carolina Hurricanes with a concussion and lower-body injury. The forward was injured in a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames at PNC Arena on Sunday when he was hit by defenseman Mark Giordano, who was assessed a match penalty for an illegal check to the head. Selected by the Hurricanes in the second round (No. 35) of the 2015 NHL Draft, Aho leads Carolina in goals (16) and points (37). The Hurricanes (20-17-8) are on a six-day break and play the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; FS-D, FS-CR, NHL.TV).

Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkinswill miss 5-6 weeks with cracked ribs. Nugent-Hopkins, who was placed on injured reserve Thursday, leads the Oilers with 16 goals and is third with 31 points in 46 games. He was injured late in the second period of Edmonton’s most recent game, a 3-2 overtime win at the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 13 that preceded a six-day break.

New York Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirkwill be sidelined indefinitely because of a meniscus tear in his left knee and will have surgery Monday. Shattenkirk, 28, who has played in all 46 of New York’s games, said at practice Friday that he has been playing with knee pain since training camp and it didn’t make sense to continue without having the surgery. He said he is planning to rehab in time to be back with the Rangers before the end of the season; their final regular-season game is against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 7. Shattenkirk, who signed a four-year contract with the Rangers on July 1, has 23 points (five goals, 18 assists). He has no goals and eight assists in 30 games since Nov. 6, and has one point in 13 games Dec. 19. He played 17:17 and did not have a point in New York’s 4-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

Anaheim Ducks forward Andrew Coglianowas suspended on Sunday for two games, which will end his consecutive games played streak at 830. Cogliano was disciplined for interference against Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe. The incident occurred at 3:41 of the first period at Staples Center on Saturday. Cogliano received a two-minute penalty for interference. Cogliano will not play against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center on Monday (3 p.m. ET; ALT, PRIME, NHL.TV), ending the fourth-longest consecutive games played streak in NHL history after Doug Jarvis (964 games), Garry Unger (914) and Steve Larmer (884). He has not missed a game in 11 NHL seasons since his debut with the Edmonton Oilers against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 4, 2007. The 30-year old, who signed a three-year contract with the Ducks on Friday, has 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 44 games this season. New iron man leader? Keith Yandle (675), Patrick Marleau (669), Phil Kessel (654), Karl Alzner (582)

Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brownhas been fined $10,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement via Section 18.7(d), for cross-checking Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Justin Schultzduring NHL Game No. 704 in Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 18, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 6:36 of the third period. Brown was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding.

Other Interesting Stories:

Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames goaltender Mike Smithand Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Phil Kessel have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 14. Gaudreau led the NHL with six assists and eight points in four games (2-6-8) to propel the Flames (25-16-4, 54 points) to a perfect week, helping the team extend its overall winning streak to seven contests. Smith stopped 104 of 108 shots against, going 3-0-0 with a 1.32 goals-against average and .963 save percentage to help the Flames sweep a road trip of at least four games for the first time since Dec. 9-18, 2007 (6-0-0). Kessel registered 2-3-5 in two games, scoring the winning goal in each contest to lift the Penguins (24-19-3, 51 points) into the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Eric Lindros, who spent eight of his 14 seasons with the Flyers, became the sixth player to have his jersey number retired by the organization on Thursday. Lindros, the 1994-95 Hart Memorial Trophy winner, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016. Though he spent time with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars, it was his 659 points in 486 games with the Flyers for which he will be remembered. A banner with Lindros name and number was raised to the rafters at Wells Fargo Center. There it will join Bernie Parent, Mark Howe, Barry Ashbee, Bill Barber and Bobby Clarke. Career: 760 GP, 372-493-865, 1398 PIMs 6-4, 230

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

Share this:

Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. NHL teams have begun their bye weeks, so action on the ice is light, but off the ice is as busy as ever. There are trades, signings, ownership changes, injuries and more to discuss. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The NCAA hockey minute and our picks of the week.

Forward Anthony Duclairwas traded to the Chicago Blackhawks by the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday. Chicago also gets defenseman Adam Clendening, with Arizona receiving forwards Richard Panik and Laurent Dauphin. Duclair, 22, has 15 points (nine goals, six assists) in 33 games this season, his fourth in the NHL, third with the Coyotes. He was traded from the New York Rangers to Arizona for defenseman Keith Yandle on March 1, 2015, and had 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 81 games in 2015-16, his first full season with Arizona, then 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) last season. Panik, 26, who signed a two-year contract with the Blackhawks on May 11, has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 37 games. He had 44 points (22 goals, 22 assists) with Chicago last season. He was a healthy scratch for five games this season, and his goal against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday was his first since Oct. 21, when he scored against the Coyotes. Clendening, 25, has two assists in five NHL games this season, and five points (one goal, four assists) in 21 games with Tucson of the American Hockey League. Dauphin, 22, has played 32 NHL games, including 24 with the Coyotes last season (two goals, one assist). He has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 33 games with Rockford of the AHL.

Defensemen Yannick Weber, Matt Irwinand Anthony Bitetto each signed a contract with the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Each could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Weber, 29, signed a two-year, $1.35 million contract ($675,000 average annual value). He has three points (one goal, two assists) and 22 blocked shots in 25 games this season, his second with Nashville. Selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round (No. 73) of the 2007 NHL Draft, Weber has 81 points (24 goals, 57 assists) in 372 games with the Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks and Predators. Irwin, 30, signed a two-year, $1.35 million contract ($675,000 average annual value). He has seven points (two goals, five assists) and 34 blocked shots in 31 games this season, his second with Nashville, and has 71 points (21 goals, 50 assists) in 260 games with the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks and Predators. Bitetto, 27, signed a one-year, $650,000 contract. He has three points (one goal, two assists) and 23 blocked shots in 22 games this season. Selected by Nashville in the sixth round (No. 168) of the 2010 NHL Draft, he has 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) in 86 NHL games. Roman Josi (2020-21), Mattias Ekholm (2021-22) and K. Subban (2021-22) are signed for at least the next three seasons. Ryan Ellis is signed through the 2019-20 season.

Forward Andrew Coglianosigned a three-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. The 30-year-old could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Financial terms were not announced. Cogliano has 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 43 games this season. He has 351 points (149 goals, 202 assists) in 829 NHL games with the Ducks and Edmonton Oilers, and has not missed a game since his debut with the Oilers against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 4, 2007. Cogliano’s streak of 829 consecutive games is the longest current streak in the NHL and the fourth-longest in League history, after Doug Jarvis (964 games), Garry Unger (914) and Steve Larmer (884).

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosianwill be out 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury sustained at practice Wednesday. Bogosian was injured when he got tangled up in a battle for a loose puck with forward Evander Kane in the corner and went down. Bogosian needed help leaving the ice and was unable to put any weight on his left leg. Bogosian missed the first 25 games of the season with a lower-body injury sustained Sept. 29 in the Sabres’ final preseason game against the New York Islanders. He had one assist and averaged 19:09 of ice time in 18 games this season.

“NHL on NBC” analyst Pierre McGuire is in good spirits, upbeat and focused on rehabilitating from surgery for prostate cancer in time to fly to South Korea on Feb. 8 to begin work at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. McGuire, 56, had surgery for prostate cancer at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York on Jan. 4, approximately three months after an irregularity showed up during his regular annual physical with his family doctor at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York. https://www.nhl.com/news/nbc-analyst-mcguire-undergoes-surgery-for-prostate-cancer/c-294852436

New York Rangers forward Chris Kreiderwill be re-evaluated in six weeks after having rib resection surgery Sunday. He remains out indefinitely. Six weeks from the date of surgery is Feb. 18. Rib resection involves the surgical removal of a segment of the first rib, which is the rib closest to the head, under the collarbone, according to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority (uwhealth.org).

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Dan Girardiis day to day after he was hit in the back of the helmet by a slap shot from Detroit Red Wings forward Martin Frk on Sunday. The Lightning said all tests came back negative. Girardi left at 13:29 of the second period during the Lightning’s 5-2 win against the Red Wings at Little Caesar’s Arena.

Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo, who has not played since Dec. 4 because of a lower-body injury, likely won’t return until February. Luongo, who was injured during a 5-4 shootout loss against the New York Islanders on Dec. 4, is 6-6-1 with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage in 15 games.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedmanwill be out 3-6 weeks because of a lower-body injury. Hedman was injured when he banged knees with Calgary Flames forward Garnet Hathaway during the Lightning’s 5-1 loss Thursday. Hedman was helped off the ice at 6:13 of the second period. Hedman, 27, has 33 points (six goals, 27 assists) with a plus-24 rating in 44 games this season. The No. 2 pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, he has 334 points (71 goals, 263 assists) in 593 games through nine seasons, all with the Lightning.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murrayhas gone home to Ontario because of a personal family matter, the Penguins announced Friday. Murray, 23, is 15-12-1 with a 2.93 goals-against average and .903 save percentage in 31 games this season. The Penguins recalled goaltender Casey DeSmith from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Friday. DeSmith, 26, is 0-1-0 with a 3.00 GAA and .833 save percentage in two games with the Penguins this season.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Savardhas been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck during NHL Game No. 647 in Columbus on Sunday, Jan. 7, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Monday. The incident occurred at 16:02 of the third period.

Chris Kelly, who helped the Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011, was one of 25 players named to the Canada men’s hockey team for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics on Thursday. Also named to the team were 23 former NHL players, three of whom are playing in the American Hockey League: Kelly with Belleveille, the Ottawa Senators’ affiliate; defenseman Cody Goloubef with Stockton, the Calgary Flames’ affiliate, and forward Christian Thomas with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ affiliate. https://www.nhl.com/news/chris-kelly-among-those-named-to-canadian-mens-olympic-hockey-team/c-294862974

The postponed game between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins (NHL Game No. 616), originally scheduled for Jan. 4, has been rescheduled for Sunday, April 8, at TD Garden, the National Hockey League announced Thurs.

Honors/Milestones:

Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Jonathan Bernier and Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosbyhave been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 7. Bergeron shared the League lead with five goals in three games (5-2-7) to power the Bruins (23-10-7, 53 points) to a 2-0-1 week, extending their overall point streak to 11 contests (8-0-3). Bernier went 3-0-0 with a 1.60 goals-against average, .957 save percentage and one shutout to guide the Avalanche (22-16-3, 47 points) to a perfect week and help extend the team’s overall winning streak to five games, their longest such run since Dec. 12-19, 2015 (5-0-0). Crosby collected a League-high seven assists and eight points (tied) in four games to lead the Penguins (22-19-3, 47 points) to a trio of wins.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

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Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. The NHL standings are continuing to be very compact. We’ll let you know where your team stands. The World Junior Championship is winding down. We’ll get you caught up with what has gone down so far in Buffalo. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The NCAA hockey minute and our picks of the week.

Goaltender Al Montoyawas traded to the Edmonton Oilers by the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday for a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. Montoya has not played since Nov. 4 because of a concussion. He practiced with the Canadiens on Monday. “He’ll join us, make the trip to [the Dallas Stars on Saturday], and I expect him to join our team there if everything goes well border-wise and weather-wise,” McLellan said. “Obviously he’s on [injured reserve], hasn’t played for a little while, but he has been skating and we’ve been told he’s healthy and awfully close to coming off (IR). So we’ll make that call when we get down there, we’ll introduce him to his new teammates.” The 32-year-old was 2-1-0 with a 3.77 goals-against average and .863 save percentage this season. He is 65-47-22 with a 2.63 GAA and .908 save percentage in 159 NHL games with the Phoenix Coyotes, New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers and Canadiens after he was the No. 6 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers. Laurent Brossoit has been the backup to Cam Talbot for the Oilers the past two seasons. Brossoit is 3-7-1 with a 3.22 GAA and .886 save percentage this season. The Canadiens claimed Antti Niemi off waivers Nov. 14 and he has been the backup to Carey Price, who has played 17 of 18 games since returning from injury Nov. 25.

Defenseman Scott Mayfieldagreed to terms on a five-year contract with the New York Islanders on Thursday. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Cap Friendly has it at 5 yr, $7.25M, $1.45M per year. Mayfield could have become a restricted free agent July 1. He has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) and has averaged 17:34 of ice time in an NHL career-high 29 games this season. The Islanders selected Mayfield in the second round (No. 34) of the 2011 NHL Draft. He has 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 65 games since making his NHL debut on April 6, 2014.

Forward Jonathan Marchessaultsigned a six-year, $30 million contract with the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. The 27-year-old could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1. The contract has an average annual value of $5 million. Chosen from the Florida Panthers in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft on June 21, Marchessault leads Vegas with 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 35 games playing on a line with William Karlsson and Reilly Smith. Marchessault had NHL career highs of 30 goals and 51 points for the Panthers last season. An undrafted free agent, Marchessault has 107 points (53 goals, 54 assists) in 159 NHL games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tampa Bay Lightning, Panthers and Golden Knights.

Goaltender Eddie Lackwas acquired by the New Jersey Devils in a trade with the Calgary Flames for defenseman Dalton Prout on Saturday. The Devils will be Lack’s fourth team since the 2014-15 season. The 29-year-old was 1-2-0 with a 5.29 goals-against average and .813 save percentage in four games for the Flames this season and is 55-53-18 with a 2.60 GAA and .909 save percentage in 140 NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes and Flames. Prout, 27, had no points in four games for the Devils this season. He played his first five NHL seasons for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who traded him to New Jersey on March 1. Goaltender Cory Schneider has played 29 of New Jersey’s 37 games this season, with backup Keith Kinkaid playing in 10.

Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsbergwill be out 4-6 weeks with an upper-body injury. Forsberg was injured during a 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 29. He missed Nashville’s next game, which ended his consecutive games streak at 325 (including the Stanley Cup Playoffs) and was placed on injured reserve Dec. 30. The 23-year-old leads the Predators in goals (15) and points (34) in 37 games, and was one of nine players to play in all of his team’s regular-season games since the start of the 2014-15 NHL season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider, who is out indefinitely with a blood clot in his right arm, will have surgery to have his rib resected. Rib resection involves the surgical removal of a segment of the first rib, which is the rib closest to the head, under the collarbone, according to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority (uwhealth.org). On April 4, 2016, Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos had similar surgery to remove a rib in order to treat a blood clot near his right collarbone. Stamkos was expected to miss 1-3 months; he returned May 26, when he played in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kreider left New York’s 1-0 victory against the Washington Capitals on Dec. 27 in the first period. The clot was diagnosed later that night. Kreider, 26, has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 37 games this season, his sixth with the Rangers. He had NHL highs of 28 goals and 53 points in 2016-17.

Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersenhas been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced Jan 4. NHL Rule 64 is designed to bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties. Fines are assessed to players and head coaches on a graduated scale. This is #2. Andersen was issued a Warning following an incident flagged by NHL Hockey Operations during NHL Game No. 343 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 24. His second Citation, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued for an incident at 7:30 of the second period during NHL Game No. 593 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 31.

Edmonton Oilers forward Patrick Maroonhas been suspended for two games, without pay, for interference against Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty during NHL Game No. 611 in Edmonton on Tuesday, Jan. 2, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Jan 3. The incident occurred at 19:44 of the second period. Maroon was assessed a match penalty for illegal check to the head. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Maroon will forfeit $21,505.38.

Stamkos was voted by NHL fans as captain of the Atlantic Division team for the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game, which will be held at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Jan. 28 (3:30 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, SN, TVA Sports). Center Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers (Pacific Division), defenseman K. Subban of the Nashville Predators (Central) and forward Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (Metropolitan) were also voted as captains for the game.

Forward Brian Gionta was named captain of the United States men’s hockey team for the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics on Monday. Gionta, who hasn’t played in the NHL this season, played 17 seasons from 2001-17 with the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres. He was on the United States team at the 2006 Torino Olympics, which lost in the quarterfinals to Finland, and led the team with four goals in six games. The Winter Olympics will take place from Feb. 9-25. http://teamusa.usahockey.com/page/show/3858372-2018-owg-u-s-men-s-roster#

Honors/Milestones:

Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask, New York Islanders right wing Josh Baileyand Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of December. Rask stopped 277 of the 290 shots he faced, going 9-0-1 with a 1.22 goals-against average, .955 save percentage and two shutouts to guide the Bruins (21-10-6, 48 points) to a 10-2-2 December and second place in the Atlantic Division. Bailey led the League with 7-15-22 to help the Islanders (20-15-4, 44 points) collect points in seven of their 15 December contests (5-8-2). Kucherov posted an NHL-best 1.54 points per game, totaling 8-12-20 in 13 outings to power the League-leading Lightning (28-8-2, 58 points) to an 11-2-0 month.

Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser, who led all rookies with eight goals and ranked second with 13 points in 13 games (8-5-13), has been named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for December. Boeser edged Boston Bruins center Danton Heinen (5-9-14 in 14 GP), New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (7-5-12 in 14 GP), Columbus Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (4-8-12 in 14 GP) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde (5-4-9 in 12 GP) for the honor.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlssonand Boston Bruins right wing David Backes have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Dec. 31. Hellebuyck went 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average, .952 save percentage and one shutout to propel the Jets (23-11-6, 52 points) to a perfect week and the top of the Central Division standings. Karlsson registered 4-1-5 in three contests to help the Golden Knights (26-9-2, 54 points) extend their win and point streaks to seven and 12 games (11-0-1), respectively – the longest such runs by any NHL team in its inaugural season. Backes paced the NHL with 3-3-6 in three games to guide the Bruins (21-10-6, 48 points) to a 2-0-1 week, extending the club’s point streak to eight contests (6-0-2).

Wayne: Between a bevy of injuries to the Bruins, players called-up and others sent down, consistency has been difficult to find for Jay Leach (AKA former Mr. Kathryn Tappan) and his Atlantic Division-leading Providence Bruins. Despite the circumstances, forward Austin Czarnik has been able to make the most of his time in Providence and was named an AHL All-Star on Thursday. The fourth-year pro leads the P-Bruins in assists (19) and points (28). Czarnik, who made the Bruins NHL roster out of camp last season, has appeared in 55 NHL games, recording 5 goals and 9 assists. The 5-foot-9 center will head to Utica, New York, from January 28-29 to represent the P-Bruins at the AHL All-Star Classic. Goaltender Jordan Binnington will also represent the P-Bruins at the AHL All-Star Classic. Binnington is on loan from the St. Louis Blues. Bruins 2016 sixth-round pick Oskar Steen has been a key cog during Sweden’s WJC run to the gold medal game. Steen scored the game-winning goal in the shootout against Russia earlier in the tournament, and he again found the back of the net in Thursday’s semi-final win against the United States. Bruins prospect Ryan Donato is having quite the week. Just two days after being selected to the United States Olympic team, the 21-year-old Harvard star was named the ECAC Player of the Week and Player of the Month. Donato was also named the Hockey Commissioner’s Association National Player of the Month.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.